We're almost halfway through the summer and here in New York City we are beginning to feel the heat! Never fear, the rain is not far behind and we'll have a whole other reason to complain.
We are on Facebook so please become a fan and encourage your friends to as well. I also joined Twitter. Please follow me as I learn the ropes in this very hip, yet complicated social black hole. Find me: asktheed. I tweet little inspirational quotes and small parenting observations. Feel free to inspire me!
This week's question comes from a few concerned parents: "What do I do if my kid is miserable at camp?"
It is very upsetting to hear from your child that they "hate camp" or "want to come home". If your child is in sleepaway camp the problem tends to be based in homesickness whereas in day camp a mean counselor, a bully or too long of a day might be the problem. Your initial thought is "what is wrong and how can I fix it?" While this seems like the best approach it may not be.
I found a great link, "Additional Tips for first Time Campers (and parents)". While the article is written specifically for the YMCA Duncan sleepaway camp in Illinois and focuses on home sickness, there is so much good advice for all children who attend all types of camps and the parents that send them, I felt I just had to post it. Many of the ideas go beyond the camp experience and can be applied to out of school activities, social activities and even school problems.
Some of the articles overarching ideas:
- Camp is a "commitment"
-"Practice separation before camp"
-"Develop coping strategies with your children"
***Giving your child confidence in his/her ability to cope with the difficulties of daily life and handling an appropriate degree of discomfort and problems is good parenting...It helps them to be independent, separate and strong.*** (my favorite line!)
-"Remember hearing only about the miserable times does not make a summer"
-"Do not make the mistake of saying...'Just try a few more days...And if you still miss home I'll come get you.'"
-"Don't let your child miss out on something that they could have learned to handle"
-"Parents must also learn to deal with their own separation"
Finally, I think it is important for parents to look closely at where they send their kids to camp. Like schools, not every camp fits every child. Sending your kid to the same camp that "all the kids in school go to" or "because you went as a kid" is not a guarantee your kid will be happy. Look for a place that really talks about how they invest in their staff and has some real strategies for dealing with the many anxieties that can arise during such an exciting yet big step in a child's social independence.
You can and should read the entire article below. I think there is a great amount of perspective about how we parent our children and the importance of teaching our children to get through the tough times with important skills we can practice with them and help them to apply on their own! Click here for the article.
Happy Camping!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment